The Swing Shift Shuffle is a radio program of swing, big band, jazz, boogie woogie and other popular music from the 1930's and 40's that airs every Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. (US Central Time) on WEVL 89.9 FM in Memphis, Tennessee, with a live webcast at wevl.org. In addition to the radio show, this blog is dedicated to all aspects of the Swing Era, including art, automobiles, cartoons, comics, history, movies, music, news, science, technology, and anything else that happened during that time. It also includes announcements about events in the Memphis/Mid-South area related to the Swing Era, such as classic movies, concerts, dances, lectures, etc. If you see something that fits the description, send it to me at tim@wevl.org. If you would like more information about the radio show, just go to the Radio Show FAQ page.

Monday, April 2, 2018

Benny Goodman's "Rattle And Roll"

This article, posted on Swing and Beyond, provides a brief snapshot of Benny Goodman's career in the early 1940's, during and after World War II. Apparently, the music that made BG the King of Swing in the late 1930's was beginning to seem a bit "old hat" to audiences of the day, and this post explains how Goodman and his band evolved to address that challenge, including recording tunes like "Rattle and Roll."